Domination
by WyomingWind
Summary: Tali discovers the dark secrets of Shepard's charisma and abilities.


Tali gasped, her chest feeling as though a loaded crate had been dropped on it. She figured herself lucky the only round to hit her was a concussive shot. Jacob had a graze on his shoulder from a sniper and Samara had taken a nasty hit to her leg. As Tali struggled to get up a hand suddenly grasped her arm. She looked up and saw his face. It was Shepard. Her heart instantly skipped, and a blush spread across her hidden features. She found herself on her feet before she knew it. It was always like that. One look or reassuring glance and she was fine. They were all like that. No matter the injury, no matter how long the fight or how much they disagreed with his actions they felt like they could take on the universe, their worries, injuries and disagreements were forgotten as soon as he gave them a smile or encouraging word. It didn't hurt that Tali had also developed certain, other, feelings for Shepard as well. It amazed her that Shepard could be so inspiring, so charismatic. Something about him could make anyone follow him.

They were tracking down a merc band somewhere in the Terminus systems. They had already destroyed a number of their smaller outposts and finally found their main base. So far it had been a long fight. It was a big base, with a lot of mercs. It was also their first time as a single team. After a few kinks had been worked out they were now making slow, but steady, progress. The next room was hopefully the last. It also held the top members of the mercs. It was going to be a hard fight. This had become personal, especially after Shepard casually mentioned he had Archangel with him. Tali could have sworn she heard them having a stroke on the other end of that radio. His grin had been rather charming really.

As they entered into the final room Tali saw more mercs than she had ever seen before in one place. She began to doubt their plan. There were an awful lot of them, and not so many on their side. They were completely surrounded and out gunned. She saw the others were beginning to doubt as well. Shepard held up a fist and stopped the group.

"Hold on a moment, I want to talk with them first." He said, as if suggesting a break for lunch. Tali couldn't believe it. Yes he was charismatic, and very talented with words. He was probably the most persuasive and likeable person she had ever met. But this seemed a little much even for Shepard. For once she and Miranda seemed to agree on something.

"Shepard, I don't think that's going to-", Miranda said, before Shepard cut her off.

"Relax, I know what I'm doing." He said, smiling in that adorable way he had. Tali instantly scolded herself for ever doubting him. He wouldn't fail. He couldn't. So long as she followed him they would never fail. Shepard turned to the mercenaries.

"Listen, I'm sure we can solve this peacefully…" Shepard began.

"The hell we can!" interrupted an Asari, her face screwed up in rage. "You killed our comrades, our friends and you want to do this peacefully? Go to hell!"

"My squad and I just tore through your men like they were nothing." Shepard countered. "What makes you think you'll do better? If you disband now I'll let you all leave peacefully." Tali wasn't sure this would work. Mercs weren't always known for their common sense. But know that she thought about it _did_ seem like a pretty good idea. The more she thought about it the more she was certain it was the best course of action. The Asari seemed to be struggling with the idea however. Tali shook her head at the woman's foolishness. Wasn't it obvious? Standing against Shepard was futile.

"No, we won't. We have you surrounded, out manned and out gunned. We have no reason to 'negotiate' with you. So as I said before, go to hell" declared the merc leader. Shepard started as if to continue but was cut off. "We don't need to deal with you; we just need to kill you!"

The team was beginning to get nervous. They really were in a bad position right now, and this was not going according to plan. Tali began to feel nervous again as the captain rambled on about their inevitable defeat. This was quickly slipping out of Shepard's control.

"Oh shut up you moron."

The room was filled with silence. Shepard was visibly struggling to maintain his usual demeanor, but his features were angry now and his voice had a hard, cruel edge to it she had never heard before.

"Don't you know who the hell I am? I'm _Commander Shepard_. Hero of the Skillian blitz and the Battle of the Citadel? What makes you think someone like _you_ has a chance of surviving _me_?"

This was a side of Shepard Tali had never seen before, and it scared her. He was frightening. "You will cooperate with me" he said, "or there will be a reckoning."

"Oh really? Is that so?" challenged the leader, but she was visibly shaken. This was unexpected. Shepard clasped his hands behind his back and sighed.

"Very well then. Don't say I didn't warn you. This will not be pleasant." Shepard's hands began to glow with biotic energy. Tali gaped, since when had he been a biotic? Even when he had his duel with the Saren/Sovereign hybrid he had never shown himself to have biotic abilities. Why hadn't he used them before? Tali's attention was diverted as a loud explosion ripped through the room. As the smoke cleared another rocket shot through the haze and hit another cluster of mercs, killing them all. The rockets were coming from, wait, a merc?

Sure enough the team's savior was none other than one of the mercs, a Salarian with a launcher. The mercs quickly turned on him firing all at once. But instead of dissolving into a fine green haze as Tali expected, the Salarian was protected by a biotic barrier. Tali was confused. Salarians didn't have biotic abilities, so who was protecting him? As another wave of fire slammed into the traitorous merc his barrier collapsed, the salarian crumpling under fire until he splattered on the far wall. By then it was too late. Most of the mercenaries were dead, unable to take cover from an enemy that was behind them.

Shepard strode across the grizzly room exuding an air of authority, as if he owned this room and everyone in it. "This concludes the training exercise. Samara, if you'll remain here everyone else can return to the ship now." He said calmly. Tali made as if to leave, but she couldn't. What was going on? This was not the Shepard she had known, that she had fallen in love with. She turn around at the doorway and approached the Commander and Samara as the interrogated the mercenary leader.

"I'll never work for you!" she spat, flecks of azure blood flying from her mouth as she trembled before Shepard, Samara restraining her from behind. "I'd rather… I'd… I'll…"

"Be working for me now." Shepard commanded with nary a trace of his characteristic warmth or generosity.

"Of course Commander, whatever you say." Intoned the asari, emotion absent from her glazed eyes.

"I have taught you well Commander, you've learned quickly." Samara said, chuckling. "I wonder what you really need me for anymore."

"What is wrong with you two?" Tali exclaimed. They both turned with a start, just noticing her presence. "This doesn't seem right, what's going on here?" Tali was worried, how had Shepard… wait, had Samara actually been laughing? That didn't even make sense, she couldn't remember the last… remember… _anything_. Her mind slipped into a hazy smog, wavering in place as a voice swirled around her. Her consciousness leapt at Shepard's voice, holding on for dear life.

"Yes I doubt we'll be able to keep her under control for much longer. We need to get rid of her." _Oh good, she hadn't liked the idea of working with that mercenary. She might have been … what was that word? Ah yes, competition. For Shepard._

"Can't have that, now can we?" Tali slurred as she felt herself dragging way. _Were they going to the ship? Wasn't it in the other direction?_ The hands carrying her away cackled with dark amusement.

"Oh yes, you are going to be so much fun!" Samara said as they were alone, "I only regret that you'll burn out after our first time. Just like all the others."

* * *

"Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster... for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you."

― Friedrich Nietzsche


End file.
